October 23, 2010

"The intriguing history of Louisiana's denizens often leads to a discussion of the distinctions between Cajun and Creole customs. Though there is often a great deal of heated debate surrounding the similarities and dissimilarities of these two unique Louisiana cultures, the following article will attempt to offer steps to help you make clear distinctions between the two.

"Realize the historical differences between Cajuns and Creoles in order to distinguish between their customs. Cajuns come from low-country, rural stock living on the bayous of Louisiana. They are renowned for being private, clannish and fiercely religious. Creoles, on the other hand, have urban origins. They are of European stock and settled primarily in New Orleans. The Creoles created the French Quarter and still hold on to their European roots.

"Take into account the differences in food. Cajun food, having its roots in the rural southern Louisiana bayou country, is largely based on stews, gumbos, okras and rice dishes, whereas, Creole food is more European, with its roots coming largely from the more urbane French Quarter. Some popular Creole dishes incorporate seafood with etoufee and jambalaya.

Know the differences in the music. Though there are a number of similarities between Cajun and Creole music, it can be broken down thus: Cajun music is more blues-based and jazz-oriented, while Creole music has a more West African, Caribbean feel to it.

"Be aware that the city of New Orleans is a perfect portrait of the way that Cajun and Creole customs are different. For most Creoles, the French Quarter was and is the only culture. It has an air of old-world European charm in the architecture and mood of it. Canal Street divides the quarter from the rest of New Orleans, and it has been said that Creoles believe anything on the other side of Canal Street is not worth seeing. Cajuns, on the other hand, like their rural roots, so they are closer to the river and on the other side of Canal.

"Understand that nowadays most people do not distinguish much between the two cultures. Down in Louisiana, the cooking and the customs of both the Creoles and Cajuns are pretty hard to tell apart. Only by taking a close look at the historical roots of the two cultures can you see the now subtle differences."

October 15, 2010

Notes: Jackie Milan will be the speaker. Jackie is a new member. She
volunteers at the Archdiocese Archives.

The topic for the meeting by Jacqueline Milan is "The Rost Home Colony." The colony was one of only 4 experimental colonies all located in Louisiana to assist freed slaves move from plantation life into the general population.

This experiment was part of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands Act. The colonies existed for 18 months during the Civil War. Rost was located on the site of present day Destrehan Plantation. The Destrehan Plantation is also where the enslaved persons were tried who participated in the 1811 Slave Revolt.

October 07, 2010

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year.

What do people do?
Many people have a day off work on the second Monday of October. They often use the three-day Thanksgiving weekend to visit family or friends who live far away, or to receive them in their own homes. Many people also prepare a special meal to eat at some point during the long weekend. Traditionally, this included roast turkey and seasonal produce, such as pumpkin, corn ears and pecan nuts. Now, the meal may consist of other foods, particularly if the family is of non-European descent.

The Thanksgiving weekend is also a popular time to take a short autumn vacation. This may be the last chance in a while for some people to use cottages or holiday homes before winter sets in. Other popular activities include: outdoor breaks to admire the spectacular colors of the Canadian autumn; hiking; and fishing. Fans of the teams in the Canadian Football League may spend part of the weekend watching the Thanksgiving Day Classic matches.

Public life

Thanksgiving Day is national public holiday in Canada. Many people have the day off work and all schools and post offices are closed. Many stores and other businesses and organizations are also closed. Public transport services may run to a reduced timetable or may not run at all.

Whilst Thanksgiving Day is holiday at a national level, it is not considered among the list of paid public holidays in New Brunswick under New Brunswick's Employment Standards Act.

Background

The native peoples of the Americas held ceremonies and festivals to celebrate the completion and bounty of the harvest long before European explorers and settlers arrived in what is now Canada. Early European thanksgivings were held to give thanks for some special fortune. An early example is the ceremony the explorer Martin Frobisher held in 1578 after he had survived the long journey in his quest to find a northern passage from Europe to Asia.

Many thanksgivings were held following noteworthy events during the 18th century. Refugees fleeing the civil war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied and there was a special theme each year. The theme was the "Blessings of an abundant harvest" for many years. However, Queen Victoria's golden and diamond jubilees and King Edward VII's coronation formed the theme in later years.

From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.

Symbols

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. This represents the "Horn of Plenty", which was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.